Preheat the oven to 400º and grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with the butter. In a small bowl, toss the cheeses together and set aside.

In the greased baking dish, layer the parsnips in overlapping layers to cover the dish. Season with ½ teaspoon of kosher salt and scatter ½ cup of the cheese mixture over top. Continue this process of layering, seasoning and scattering ½ cup of the cheese mixture with the celery root, sweet potatoes and turnips. Layer the Yukon Gold potatoes last and season with the remaining ½ teaspoon salt. Do not top with any cheese.

In a small pan, combine the cream with the remaining 1 tablespoon of salt, the thyme leaves, garlic and black pepper. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, then remove from the heat and pour into the dish over the vegetables. Place a piece of parchment directly over the vegetables and bake until the vegetables are tender when pierced with a paring knife, 45 to 50 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, toss the bread crumbs with the parsley, sage, olive oil and pepper flakes. Remove the baking dish from the oven and discard the parchment. Scatter the remaining 1 cup of grated cheese over the vegetables, followed by the bread crumb mixture. Return to the oven and bake until golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes more.

Remove from the oven and let cool for 20 minutes before cutting. Garnish with more parsley and sage, then serve.

preparation

Butter 13 x 9x2-inch glass baking dish. Combine first 7 ingredients in large pot; bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover partially and simmer until vegetables are very tender, about 30 minutes. Drain well. Transfer vegetables to large bowl. Add 1/2 cup butter. Using electric mixer, beat mixture until mashed but still chunky. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer mashed vegetables to prepared dish.

Melt remaining 1/4 cup butter in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add sliced onions and sauté until beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low and sauté until onions are tender and golden brown, about 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Spread onions evenly over mashed vegetables. (Casserole can be prepared up to 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)

Preheat oven to 375° F. Bake casserole uncovered until heated through and top begins to crisp, about 25 minutes.

potato salad with parsley pesto

Ingredients:

Summer potato salad

2 lb potatoes

1 lb green beans

Salt and pepper

Parsley pesto:

2 cloves garlic

2 cups packed, stemmed Italian parsley

Course salt

1/4 cup walnuts

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, or to taste

2/3 cup olive oil

Salt and pepper

In a food processor place the garlic, parsley, pinch salt, walnuts, and cheese. Process until they form a paste. Gradually blend in olive oil, taste adjust your seasoning if necessary.

2 small garlic cloves

1 tablespoon capers without the brine

Very large two handfuls of flat leaf parsley (or 2 bunches that you buy at the store)

1 teaspoon coarse salt

2/3 cup olive oil

directions:

Summer potato salad

Steam the potatoes until just tender. They have to be cooked through but not mushy (see note above)

Steam the beans until crisp tender yet still bright green. Do not cover the pot when cooking the beans as they can lose their colour.

When the potatoes are cooked through drain and allow to cool.

Cut the potatoes in half or quarters, depending on their size, and peel if you wish. The skin should peel off easily.

When the beans are ready plunge them into cold water to stop the cooking.

Cut the beans into smaller pieces.

To make the pesto place all ingredients in a food processor and process until it reaches the consistency of pesto.

Carrot, Potato, and Cabbage Soup

Ingredients:

4 large carrots, thinly sliced

2 large potatoes, thinly sliced

1 large onion, thinly sliced

1/4 medium head green cabbage, thinly sliced

2 cloves garlic, smashed

6 cups chicken stock

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

1/4 teaspoon dried basil

1 teaspoon dried parsley

1 teaspoon salt

ground black pepper to taste

Directions:

Combine the carrots, potatoes, onion, cabbage, garlic, chicken stock, olive oil, thyme, basil, parsley, salt, and pepper in a stock pot over medium-high heat; bring to a simmer and cook until the carrots are tender, about 20 minutes.

Transfer to a blender in small batches and blend until smooth.

Green Bean, Potato and Leek Salad

YIELD: Serves 6

Ingredients

8 medium-small red potatoes

1 pound green beans, trimmed, halved crosswise

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

3 tablespoons white wine vinegar

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter

2 leeks (white part only), halved lengthwise, thinly sliced crosswise

Chopped fresh parsley

3 hard-boiled eggs, shelled, quartered (optional)

Preparation

Boil or steam potatoes and green beans separately until tender but not mushy. Drain or remove from steamer. Cut each potato into eighths. Place in salad bowl. Add green beans. Blend Dijon mustard and vinegar in small bowl. Whisk in vegetable oil in thin stream. Pour over potatoes and beans and mix gently to coat. Season salad to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add leeks and sauté until tender and lightly browned, about 7 minutes.

Divide potato and green bean mixture among salad plates. Top each with sautéed leeks. Sprinkle salads with chopped fresh parsley. Garnish each salad with 2 hard-boiled egg quarters, if desired, and serve.

Preparation

Melt butter in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add leeks and fennel and sauté until leeks are translucent, about 7 minutes. Add broth and potatoes and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer soup until potatoes are very tender, about 25 minutes. Working in batches, purée soup in blender. Return to same pot. Rewarm soup if necessary. Season with salt and pepper. Ladle soup into bowls; garnish with reserved fennel fronds and serve.

Method

*Marinate tuna steaks in a little olive oil for an hour. Heat a large skillet on medium high heat, or place on a hot grill. Cook the steaks 2 to 3 minutes on each side until cooked through.

In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, oil, shallot, thyme, basil, oregano, and mustard. Season to taste with salt and pepper and set aside.

Place potatoes in a large pot and cover with 4 quarts of cold water. Bring to a boil. Add 2 tablespoons salt and cook until potatoes are tender, 5 to 8 minutes. Drain. Toss warm potatoes with 1/4 cup vinaigrette; set aside.

While the potatoes are cooking, in a separate pot, add a quart of water and 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt. Bring to a boil. Add the green beans to the pot. Blanch until tender but still a little firm, about 3 to 5 minutes. Remove the beans from the pot and place in ice water to stop the cooking. After about 30 seconds, drain the beans. Toss the beans in 3 tablespoons of the vinaigrette and add salt and pepper to taste.

While potatoes and green beans are cooking, toss lettuce with 1/4 cup vinaigrette in large bowl until coated. Arrange bed of lettuce on a serving platter (I used two serving platters, shown in the photos). Cut tuna into 1/2-inch thick slices, coat with vinaigrette. Mound tuna in center of lettuce. Toss tomatoes, red onion, 3 tablespoons vinaigrette, and salt and pepper to taste in bowl; arrange tomato-onion mixture on the lettuce bed. Arrange the potatoes and green beans in mounds at edge of lettuce bed.

For the dough: In a medium bowl, mix the yeast with warm water and let sit for 5 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil, sugar and salt, and whisk. Set aside.

In a large bowl, mix the all-purpose and whole wheat flours. Make a hole in the middle and pour in the yeast mixture. Slowly hand mix the flour until all the liquid is absorbed. If too wet, add more flour, 1/4 cup at a time. Sprinkle a clean work station with flour and knead the dough until smooth and elastic. Coat a large ceramic bowl with the remaining olive oil. Place the dough in the ceramic bowl, and flip over to coat in the oil. Cover the top of the dough with plastic wrap and cover the bowl with a dish towel. Let rise until the dough has doubled in size, 2 hours. Punch down the dough and let rise for another hour.

For the toppings: Thinly slice the potatoes and onion. Roughly chop the rosemary leaves.

Preheat the oven to 475 degrees F. Grease the pizza pan with the leaf lard.

Mold the dough into the shape of the pan. Brush with some olive oil. Place the pizza on the bottom oven rack for 5 minutes, to pre-crisp the crust. Add two layers of the potatoes in a scallop style. Add the onions, sprinkle with salt and pepper and drizzle with some olive oil.

Sprinkle with the rosemary and drizzle with more olive oil. Place on the middle oven rack and cook for 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from the oven. Immediately remove the pizza from the pan and cut into rectangles.

Set gratin dish on a large rimmed baking sheet and cover tightly with foil. Bake for 1 hour. Carefully remove foil; continue baking until top is golden brown and sauce is bubbling, 25-30 minutes. DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature. Tent with foil and rewarm in a 300° oven until hot, about 20 minutes.

Carrot-Potato Gnocchi

2 pounds baking potatoes (about 4)

4 large carrots, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/4 cup water

Salt

2 large egg yolks

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

Freshly ground black pepper

Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Preheat the oven to 400°. Pierce the potatoes all over with a fork. Bake in a microwave oven at high power for 10 minutes, then flip the potatoes and microwave for 5 minutes longer. Transfer the potatoes to the oven and bake for 15 minutes. Alternatively, bake the potatoes in the oven for about 1 hour, until tender.

In a skillet, cook the carrots in the olive oil over moderate heat for 2 minutes. Add the water and a pinch of salt. Cover and cook until tender, 15 minutes. Puree in a food processor.

Halve the potatoes. Scoop the flesh into a ricer and rice the potatoes. Transfer 2 slightly packed cups of riced potatoes to a bowl. Stir in the egg yolks, 1/2 cup of the carrot puree and 1 teaspoon of salt. Add the 1/2 cup and 2 tablespoons of flour; stir until a stiff dough forms. Knead the dough gently until smooth but slightly sticky.

Line a baking sheet with wax paper and dust with flour. On a floured surface, cut the dough into 4 pieces, rolling each into a 3/4-inch-thick rope. Cut the ropes into 3/4-inch pieces. Roll each piece against the tines of a fork to make ridges; transfer to the baking sheet.

In a large, deep skillet of simmering salted water, cook the gnocchi until they rise to the surface, then simmer for 2 minutes longer. In a large nonstick skillet, melt the butter. Using a slotted spoon, add the gnocchi to the butter. Season with salt and pepper and cook over high heat for 1 minute. Sprinkle with the cheese and serve.

Potato Leek Soup

Ingredients

2 large leeks, cut lengthwise, separate, clean. Use only the white and pale green parts, chop. (See How to Clean Leeks)

2 Tbsp butter

2 cups water

2 cups chicken broth (or vegetable broth for vegetarian option)*

2 lbs potatoes, peeled, diced into 1/2 inch pieces

Marjoram - dash

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme, or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

Tabasco sauce or other red chili sauce

Salt & Pepper

*If cooking gluten-free, be sure to use gluten-free broth.

Method

1 Cook leeks in butter with salt and pepper in a medium sized sauce pan. Cover pan, cook on low heat for 10 minutes. Check often. Do not brown the leeks.

2 Add water, broth, and potatoes. Bring to a low simmer and cook for 20 minutes. Scoop about half of the soup mixture into a blender, puree and return to pan. Add marjoram, parsley, and thyme. Add a few dashes of chili sauce to taste. Add some freshly ground pepper, 1-2 teaspoons salt or more to taste.

Heat oven to 450degrees. Place garlic in an ovenproof ramekin; drizzle with olive oil. Roast until light brown and very soft, about 20 minutes. Remove garlic from oven, and let stand until cool enough to handle. Peel garlic, cut into slices, and set aside. Reduce heat to 425degrees.

Meanwhile, peel potatoes, and slice them as thinly as possible; place them in a bowl, and put damp paper towel on top to keep them from turning brown. Peel rutabaga, and cut in half, slice as thinly as possible, and cover with a damp paper towel.

In a 10-inch nonstick ovenproof skillet, melt 2 tablespoons butter, swirling pan to coat bottom and sides. Remove from heat. Starting at the sides of the pan, arrange about half of the rutabaga slices in overlapping concentric circles, covering bottom of pan; press to compress. Sprinkle rutabaga with 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/8 teaspoon pepper, 1/2 teaspoon thyme, and a third of the roasted garlic; dot with 1 tablespoon butter.

Arrange the potato slices in tight concentric circles over the rutabaga, and press down. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/8 teaspoon pepper, 1/2 teaspoon thyme, and another third of the garlic; dot with 1 tablespoon butter. Arrange remaining rutabaga on top, and season again with 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/8 teaspoon pepper, and remaining garlic; dot with 1 tablespoon butter.

Spread a large piece of aluminum foil with remaining tablespoon butter. Cover skillet tightly with the foil, buttered side down. Place a cast-iron skillet on the foil to weigh it down, and transfer to the oven. Bake until vegetables are tender when pierced with the tip of a knife, 50 to 60 minutes.

Remove pan from oven, and let stand on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Remove foil, and invert roots carefully onto a serving dish. Garnish with remaining 1/2 teaspoon thyme, and serve warm. This can be made ahead of time.

Source Martha Stewart Living, November 1995

Dill Fingerling Potatoes

Ingredients

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 1/4 pounds fingerling potatoes, rinsed but not peeled

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill

Directions

Melt the butter in a Dutch oven or large heavy-bottomed pot. Add the whole potatoes, salt, and pepper, and toss well. Cover the pot tightly and cook over low heat for 20 to 30 minutes, until the potatoes are just tender when tested with a small knife. From time to time, shake the pot without removing the lid to prevent the bottom potatoes from burning.

Turn off the heat and allow the potatoes to steam for another 5 minutes. Don't overcook.